Alternatives to Self Harm

Self harming is an unhealthy coping mechanism used in order to cope with difficult feelings. Self harming can leave you scarred, ill and even severely injured. Throughout my struggle with self harming, I've learned several healthier ways of coping with my emotions which I thought that I would share!

• Arts and Crafts 
• Drawing 
• Colouring 
• Painting 
• Pottery 
• Knitting 
• Crocheting 
• Origami 
• Decoupage 
• Building 3D sculptures 
• Comic book making 

• Music 
• Learning to play an instrument 
• Writing a song 
• Listening to music
• Going to a gig

• Self-care 
• Have a bath 
• Dye your hair 
• Buy some nice clothes 
• Apply some make-up 
• Go for a walk 
• Read a book 
• Spend time with loved ones 
• Meditation 
• Mindfulness 

• Retail Therapy!
• Buy some stationary 
• Treat yourself to some new clothes 
• Buy soothing bath and beauty products 

• Puzzles 
• Sudoku 
• Crosswords 
• Codebreakers 
• 3D puzzles 
• Jigsaws 
• Puzzle books 
• Wordsearches 
• Family games
• Card games 

• Sensory toys 
• Stress balls 
• Tangles 
• Stretchy toys 
• Bouncy balls 
• Rubik's Cube 
• Playdough/Clay 
• Bouncing putty 
• Sensory lights 
• Bubble lamp/lava lamp 

• Use suicide/self harm hotlines 
• Samaritans 
• Childline 
• British Red Cross Society 
• National Self Harm Network 
• Missing People 
• SARC (sexual assault referral centre)
• MIND 
• Young Minds 
• Out-of-hours GP 
• Emergency services 

• Pet therapy!

I hope that some of these alternative coping mechanisms can help you and prevent you from self harming - you might have to keep trying, trying and trying, but if you try hard enough, they'll work eventually!